Safety arrangement for fuel dispensers



Oct. 5, 1965 R. M. KLAUS SAFETY ARRANGEMENT FOR FUEL DISPENSERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb. 13, 1961 INVENTOR. RICHARD M. KLAUS,

ATTO RN EYS.

Oct. 5, 1965 R. M. KLAUS SAFETY ARRANGEMENT FOR FUEL DISPENSERS 2, Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 13, 1961 m HM INVENTOR. RICHARD M. KLAus, BY

MW 1 M ATTORNEYS.

mI I -I.||||

United States Patent 3,209,773 SAFETY ARRANGEMENT FOR FUEL DISPENSERS Richard M. Klaus, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Dover Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Continuation of application Ser. No. 88,769, Feb. 13, 1961. This application Aug. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 306,978 4 Claims. (Cl. 137-68) This is a continuation of co-pending application Serial No. 88,769, filed February 13, 1961 and since abandoned.

At fuel dispensing stations, gasoline or other liquid fuel is ordinarily maintained in burial tanks. At the points where the actual dispensing is done, it had previously been the practice to provide a pedestal containing a pump connected to the underground tank by a suitable conduit. The pedestal would contain such metering devices as may be desired together with a connection between the pump and a flexible conduit terminating in a dispensing nozzle for the purpose of introducing the fuel into the tanks of vehicles. More recently, especially where the dispensing station has a plurality of pedestal devices for dispensing the same fuel, it has been realized that savings could be made by locating a pump adjacent a buried storage tank for the fuel, and causing the pump, by a suitable conduit system, to feed the fuel to various pedestal dispensers. Since automotive vehicles sometimes strike the dispensing pedestals, it has been suggested that each pedestal near the ground line shall have a fitting containing a check valve and provided with a shear section or line of weakening above the check valve. Thus, if a vehicle were to strike a pedestal, the fitting would break at the shear section and the check valve would close. This not only permits the dispensing of fuel from the same pump through other pedestals, but also prevents spillage of the fuel at the broken pedestal, thus saving expense and minimizing a fire hazard.

In the last mentioned system, the conduits from the pump to the plurality of pedestals for dispensing the same fuel must be maintained full of fuel under pressure. If this were not done, the fuel might drain back into the tank when the pump is shut off, thus filling the conduits with air and interfering with the normal operation of the metering or indicating devices in the pedestals. Thus, it has been the practice to locate a check valve in the main conduit near the pump, which valve will close when the pump is shut off.

The maintenance of fuel under pressure in the fuel conduits leading to the several pedestals presents the hazard of leakage from the conduits. Such leakage normally occurs underground, and the fuel may travel for considerable distances, involving substantial fuel loss as well as danger of fire. It will be understood that the pump adjacent the fuel tank will usually be started and kept in operation continuously for as long as the dispensing station remains open.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a structure having the safety features hereinabove referred to and additional safety features as hereinafter set forth.

Specifically, objects of the invention include the provision of a cut-off valve in a fitting having a shear section so that if a dispenser should be knocked over, the valve will close; the provision of means whereby if fuel spillage should occur and a fire should start, the valve will automatically close, preventing the spread of fire to underground fuel storage tanks or adjacent buildings; the provision of means whereby if a leak occurs in the system at any point between the pump and the pedestal, the valve will automatically close; the provision of means whereby the valve will remain open due to a pressure drop in the system from normal operation; the provision of means whereby the effect of temperature on the pressure ice in the system will be compensated; and the provision of means whereby a leak in the system will be positively indicated to the operator.

These and other objects of the invention, which will be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, are accomplished by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which an exemplary embodiment will not be described. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a device employing the principles of the present invention, together with a diagrammatic indication of the underground system to which the device is attached.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the devices.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along the section line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a means for compensating for variations in temperature.

The device referred to above comprises a hollow fitting of cast meal having a body 1. The body may be provided with a fitting 2 at its bottom to which there may be attached a conduit 3 leading through a check valve 5 and a pump 6 to an underground fuel storage tank indicated at 7. The conduit 3 may, if desired, have branches leading to devices similar to the one being described and located in other fuel dispensing pedestals.

The hollow body 1 has an annular line of weakening or shear section 8 above which there is a fitting 9 which will be connected inside a dispensing pedestal (not shown) through metering, measuring, or indicating devices to a flexible conduit (also not shown) having a dispensing nozzle. The dispensing nozzle is preferably of the automatic shut-off type.

The hollow body 1 is provided with a valve seat element 10. In an enlargement 11 of the hollow body, there is mounted a shaft 12, one end of which extends out of the enlargement and is provided with a packing gland 13 or some similar means to prevent leakage of fuel around the shaft. An arm 14 is non-rotatably mounted on the shaft 12 within the enlargement and carries a valve tappet 15 adapted to coact with the valve seat 10. The valve tappet may be mounted on the arm 14 in various ways. A preferred mode of mounting is illustrated in FIG. 1 where a stub 16 is attached to the valve tappet and passes through a hole in the arm. A washer-shaped element 17 having opposite protuberances 18 engaging the valve tappet is located between the tappet and the arm. A spring ring 19 or other means is employed to prevent the withdrawal of the stub 16 from the arm 14. This gives a relatively loose mounting for the tappet 15 and also provides for the tilting of the tappet as may be required to cause it to conform more perfectly to the edge of the valve seat member 10 when the valve swings from the open position to the closed position indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 1.

Within the enlargement 11 there is a torsional spring 20 most clearly shown in FIG. 4. One projecting end of this spring engages the arm 14 and the other projecting end engages a wall of the enlargement 11, the action of the spring being to urge the valve to the closed position.

On the externally projecting portion of the shaft 12 there is non-rotatably mounted a lever arm 21 and a weight 22, the action of which is also to urge the valve to the closed position. But the weight 22 also serves as a handle in resetting the valve, i.e. in moving it from on a portion of the hollow body 1 above the shear section 8. Preferably there is a torsional spring 26 tending to urge the link 23 to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. At the right-hand end of the link, there is shown a notch 27 adapted to engage a pin 28 mounted on the lever arm 21. The right-hand edge of this notch is somewhat undercut, as shown in the drawings, so that once the pin has been engaged in the notch, the link or lever 23 will be held in the position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 against the action of the spring 26.

The link or lever 23 is made in two parts, as most clearly shown in FIG. 3. The parts are held together by means of a metal or other substance fusible at a relatively low temperature and indicated at 29. By reason of this structure, if a fire should occur at the pedestal at which the device is located, the lever 23 will come apart, releasing the valve so that it will close under the influence of the spring 20. Since the lever 23 is pivoted as at 24 to the device above the shear section 8, it will be evident that the value will also close if the device is broken at the shear section, as in the case of an accident.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a sensing device effective below the valve. The body 1 is formed with an extension 30 which is shaped to provide a portion 31 of a diaphragm chamber which is connected by a passageway (not shown) to the hollow interior of the body 1. There is a cover for this extension indicated at 34 and shaped within to provide another portion 35 of the diaphragm chamber. The cover may be held on the extension by screws or bolts 36; and a diaphragm 37 of suitable flexible material is engaged between the meeting edges of parts 30 and 34 as will be clear from the drawing. The part 34 has an integral hollow extension 38 within which slides a thimble 39. The diaphragm is attached to this thimble and to a rod 49 by means of a screw 41 and such washers as may be desired. There is a compression spring 42 located inside the thimble and acting with sufficient force to cause the diaphragm 37 to move to the right in FIG. 1 if the pressure is lowered within the hollow interior of the body 1.

The hollow extension 33 has a bifurcated arm 43 to which a bell crank element 44 is pivoted as shown. The lower end of the bell crank engages a notched portion of the rod 40. The upper end of the bell crank lies just below the left-hand end of the link 23. If by the action of the diaphragm 37 the bell crank is caused to move from the position shown in solid lines to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, it will now be evident that bell crank 44 will tilt the lever 23 from the solid-line to the dotted-line position, thereby releasing the pin 28 from the notch and causing the valve to close under the action of spring 20, arm 21 and weight 22.

The responsiveness of the diaphragm 37 to changes in pressure within the hollow body 1 can be controlled by selecting the strength of the spring 42. It may be noted that if the diaphragm 37 were to become perforated, or if it should leak, the spring 42 would be effective in closing the valve. In order to prevent leakage of fuel if the diaphragm becomes perforated, an O ring or other suitable means 45 may be located between the rod 40 and the cover extension 38.

The sensing device herein described will be adjusted so that it will not function during normal fuel dispensing operations. This is readily possible because so long as fuel is being dispensed from the pedestal, there will be a relatively small drop in pressure in the system because of the continued operation of the pump. But when the system is a closed system by reason of the closure of the dispensing nozzle, and the closure of the check valve 5 (the pump 6 being shut off), a very small leak in the conduit 3 will serve to effect a relatively large change in pressure within the system. Thus, the closing of the valve because of leaks in the system will occur primarily at night or at other periods of inactivity at the dispensing station when the pump 6 is cut off. The positive indication to the operator of the existence of a leak occurs when he finds that he cannot obtain a flow of fuel from the nozzle of the pedestal even though the pump has been turned on. However, if the leak is relatively large, the closing of the valve will occur rapidly during any brief suspension of the action of the pump 6, further, the valve will close, as explained above, if the diaphragm should become punctured.

If the leak is small but repair measures cannot immediately be taken, dispensing activity at the particular pedestal may readily be resumed because it is possible for the operator to reset the valve in the device by manipulation of the weight 22 as a handle. Thus, it becomes possible to determine roughly the extent of the leakage. For example, if in the morning it is found that fuel cannot be dispensed from one or more pedestals, the operator well be appraised that a leak exists. He can then turn on the pump whereby to restore the pressure in the system and permit the valve to be reset. If then the pump is turned off again, the operator can determine the length of time required to lower the pressure in the system to the point where the valve closes (and hence the magnitude of the leak) by noting the length of time required for the closing of the valve after the pump is inactivated.

Since, however, fuel is relatively incompressible, changes in temperature in the closed system may produce such variations in pressure as to cause a closing of the valve. This is undesirable and is avoided in the practice of the invention by the use of a device which is illustrated in FIG. 5. This device is a closed container of relatively small size having upper and lower flanged portions 46 and 47, between which a cup-shaped diaphragm 48 is engaged. Beneath the diaphragm there is a looselyfitting cup-shaped plunger 49, held to the diaphragm by an overlying plate 50 and a stud or bolt 51. A compression spring 52 is engaged between the plunger 49 and the bottom of the lower element 47, there being an opening in this element to the outer air, as, for example, a slot 47a. The top container part 46 is provided with a threaded opening to receive a coupling 53 so that the device of FIG. 5 may be connected by means of a tube 54 to another coupling 55 threaded into an opening in an extension 56 of the body 1. The tube 54 is in communication with the interior of the body 1 below the valve 10, 15 when that valve is closed.

In the operation of the device, the container 46, 47 will be filled with the fluid fuel. If a rise in temperature occurs in the closed system fuel will flow into the container, depressing the diaphragm against the resistance of the spring, but producing no great change in pressure in the closed system. Similarly if, under conditions of lowered temperature, the fuel in the closed system contracts, fuel in the container may flow through the tube 54 to compensate for the contraction. Again, there will be no great change in the pressure in the closed system, and specifically, not enough change to affect the sensing mechanism.

It will be evident from the description above that the device and system of this invention accomplish a substantial number of operations having to do with safety. Modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit of it. The invention having been described in an exemplary embodiment, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A control valve for a liquid delivery line, said control valve having a housing containing a valve seat and a valve poppet, resilient means urging said valve poppet toward a valve closed position, latching means for holding said valve in an open position having a fusible element effective to cause said latching means to release said valve poppet upon the occurrence of a predetermined rise in temperature, a shear section associated with said housing on the downstream side of said valve seat, said latching means being mounted on said housing downstream of said shear section whereby breakage of said shear section releases said valve poppet for closure, sensing means associated with said valve comprising a diaphragm in a chamber, said chamber at one side of said diaphragm having communication with the interior of said housing so as to subject said diaphragm to the pressure of liquid within said housing, resilient means acting upon the other side of said diaphragm to produce movement thereof upon a diminution of pressure of the liquid within said housing, a pivotal connection between said diaphragm and said latching means for releasing said latching means upon the occurrence of said diminution in pressure and thereby permitting said valve poppet to close, and means providing an expansion chamber having communication with the interior of said housing upstream of said valve seat, said expansion chamber containing resilient means responsive to a variation of the quantity of fluid therein to maintain a uniform fiui-d pressure.

2. A fuel dispensing system comprising, a fuel storage tank, a pump adjacent said tank adapted to withdraw fuel from said tank and pump it through a conduit to a remote dispensing station, a control valve in said conduit adjacent said dispensing station, means operatively associated with said control valve adapted to close said control valve in response to shearing stresses exerted in the area of said dispensing station, means operatively associated with said control valve adapted to close said control valve in response to a predetermined rise in temperature adjacent said control valve, means operatively associated with said control valve adapted to close said control valve in response to a fluid leak between said pump and said dispensing station, means operatively associated with said control valve adapted to compensate for pressure changes in the system due to temperature changes and maintain said control valve in an open position and means associated with said control valve whereby said control valve may be manually opened, said means for closing said control valve in response to a predetermined rise in temperature comprising latching means for holding said control valve open, a fusible element associated with said latching means and releasing said latching means upon the occurrence of a predetermined rise in temperature and thereby closing said control valve.

3. A control valve for a liquid delivery line, said control valve having a housing containing a valve seat and valve poppet, resilient means urging said valve poppet toward a closed position, latching means for maintaining said control valve in an open position, a diaphragm in a chamber, said chamber at one side of said diaphragm having communication with the interior of said housing so as to subject said diaphragm to the pressure of liquid within said housing, resilient means acting upon the other side of said diaphragm to produce movement thereof upon a diminution of pressure of the liquid within the said housing, and a pivotal connection between the said diaphragm and said latching means for releasing said latching means upon the occurrence of said diminution in pressure and thereby permitting said valve poppet to close, said control valve housing having a shear section located on the downstream side of said valve seat, said latching means being mounted on said housing downstream of said shear section, whereby upon breakage of said shear section said valve poppet will be released for closure.

4. A control valve for a liquid delivery line, said control valve having a housing containing a valve seat and valve poppet, resilient means urging said valve poppet toward a closed position, latching means for maintaining said control valve in an open position, a diaphragm in a chamber, said chamber at one side of said diaphragm having communication with the interior of said housing so as to subject said diaphragm to the pressure of liquid within said housing, resilient means acting upon the other side of said diaphragm to produce movement thereof upon a diminution of pressure of the liquid within the said housing, and a pivotal connection between the said diaphragm and said latching means for releasing said latching means upon the occurrence of said diminution in pressure and thereby permitting said valve poppet to close, said control valve housing having a shear section located on the downstream side of said valve seat, said latching means being mounted on said housing downstream of said shear section, whereby upon breakage of said shear section said valve poppet will be released for closure, said valve poppet having an operating shaft extending to a position external to said housing, a lever arm having a weight thereon attached to said shaft to urge said valve poppet to closing position, said latch means being adapted to releasably engage said lever arm, and said weight serving as a handle for the resetting of said valve.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,484,940 10/49 Franzheim 137-77 2,587,358 2/52 McRae 137-463 2,665,714 1/54 Greenwood 251-73 2,867,228 l/59 Rike 137-68 2,902,988 9/59 Rippingille 137-207 X 2,952,387 9/60 Fowler 137-460 X 2,952,388 9/60 Deters 137-460 X 2,965,116 12/60 Boone 137-68 X ISADOR WEIL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CONTROL VALVE FOR A LIQUID DELIVERY LINE, SAID CONTROL VALVE HAVING A HOUSING CONTAINING A VALVE SEAT AND A VALVE POPPET, RESILIENT MEANS URGING SAID VALVE POPPET TOWARD A VALVE CLOSED POSITION, LATCHING MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID VALVE IN AN OPEN POSITION HAVING A FUSIBLE ELEMENT EFFECTIVE TO CAUSE SAID LATCHING MEANS TO RELEASE SAID VALVE POPPET UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF A PREDETERMINED RISE IN TEMPERATURE, A SHEAR SECTION ASSOCIATED WITH SAID HOUSING ON THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF SAID VALVE SEAT, SAID LATCHING MEANS BEING MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING DOWNSTREAM OF SAID SHEAR SECTION WHEREBY BREAKAGE OF SAID SHEAR SECTION RELEASES SAID VALVE POPPET FOR CLOSURE, SENSING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID VALVE COMPRISING A DIAPHRAGM IN A CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBER AT ONE SIDE OF SAID DIAPHRAGM HAVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE INT ERIOR OF SAID HOUSING SO AS TO SUBJECT SAID DIAPHRAGM TO THE PRESSURE OF LIQUID WITHIN SAID HOUSING, RESILIENT MEANS ACTING UPON THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID DIAPHRAGM TO PRODUCE MOVEMENT THEREOF UPON A DIMINUTION OF PRESSURE OF THE LIQUID WITHIN SAID HOUSING, A PIVOTAL CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID DIAPHRAGM AND SAID LATCHING MEANS FOR RELEASING SAID LATCHING MEANS UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF SAID DIMINUTION IN PRESSURE AND THEREBY PERMITTING SAID VALVE POPPET TO CLOSE, AND MEANS PROVIDING AN EXPANSION CHAMBER HAVING COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING UPSTREAM OF SAID VALVE SEAT, SAID EXPANSION CHAMBER CONTAINING RESILIENT MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A VARIATION OF THE QUANTITY OF FLUID THEREIN TO MAINTAIN A UNIFORM FLUID PRESSURE. 